Lead from Gold (PNK, Ibari)

Amaterasu shone, until she didn't.

Her fires could blanket entire landscapes in blistering blue heat- a dancing inferno that lived a life as brilliant and short lived as any ninja. She could reduce people to ashes in mere seconds, throw knives with the grace of a dancer. But now, there were cracks shining through, places where her inner light leaked out into the surrounding world until she was left with naught but embers. She was nothing more than unkindled ash- gold turned into lead.

Her muscles had atrophied. Her hands were shaking. Once brilliant fires were uncontrolled and volatile, desperate for every bit of fuel they could consume with no regard for what lay underneath. She had fallen far, and it would take many months of rest and practice alike to return to what she used to be. The young girl made her way towards the training grounds- one that held mainly cracked earth with no underbrush. It was an ideal place to just... let loose. No civilians to harm, no buildings to destroy.

Of course, there was much more to it than that. This training ground was one of the only remaining parts of Sunagakure that she still recognized. So much had changed. Her shadow clone was still in the hospital, and she hadn't yet met up with the Kazekage- Kenshin. He most likely knew that she was awake, but... Part of her was embarrassed to meet her old mentor in such a state. Would he throw her away? Would he take it in stride?

Would he help?

That was what shinobi were- just tools to be used and thrown away once they had worn down with age or overuse. And some deep, dark part of her that was still just a thirteen year old believed that she was no different. Had she deluded herself? She clenched her fists experimentally, looking down. One. Two. At the three second mark, they began to tremble and shake with her exertion. Her bones clearly shone through her skin. Inhale. Exhale. Unclench. She sent searing chakra through her veins, watching as the little spiderlines beneath her skin began to glow a bright orange. Waves of heat rose off of her open palm as she watched impassively. It didn't hurt, per se- it felt like she was stretching a sore muscle just a bit too far.

Was there a solution to this?

Kenshin would know it.

She shook her head angrily, letting her much longer hair fall to her waist in a somewhat greasy and brittle style. She hadn't had much time to focus on her appearance. A tearing, blistering scar peaked out from beneath her hair, winding and spreading down her entire left side. It had healed a bit since her stay in the hospital, on the bright side. While once it had stung whenever something made contact, now it was merely a toughened patch of skin that demonstrated her will to survive throughout adversity. Inhale. Exhale. She wasn't quite sure what to do at this point. She found herself wishing for company, but...

She sighed. Who'd want to be around her?

[Wordcount: 519]
[Total WC: 519]